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◢◤◢◤◢◤ Circuit 07 ◢◤◢◤◢◤
"So you're telling me you've never had a boyfriend before?" Jade asks in disbelief as she leans more into my locker. I tip my head and shut my locker before we soon pushed through the crowded cafeteria.
"Why do you sound surprised?" I giggled as we grabbed a tray and headed toward the salad station. Seeing Jade pick up greens to put on her plate causes my face to morph with displeasure.
"I just don't believe it," she said with a smirk. I laughed as I nudged her elbow and led her toward the fruit section. I scooped pineapple slices and dumped them onto my tray.
"Well you better believe it," I mumbled as we drew closer to an empty table in the center. Students were filling the tables and formed their own cliques. That does not surprise me. Because it was the middle of the semester, friend groups were structured. I just hope it won't be too difficult for me to find my own group of people.
"Hm, I don't know..." She appears skeptical, but not to the point of being offensive.
I only ever had short dating phases with boys, but none lasted more than a month because I quickly realized I wasn't into the long-term thing and I didn't like feeling like I had another responsibility, especially towards a person. So, I have never been in a serious relationship.
"I mean, if you count that one time in middle school when a boy kissed my hand then I don't know what to tell you." Jade couldn't help but laugh at my story because we'd all gone through an awkward school crush phase at some point in our lives.
"Oh, look! She's headed this way," Jade had a grin on her round face as she nudged her chin in the direction of the stairs leading down to the main hall. The cafeteria provided a clear view of the school's interior.
Through the large glass windows, I could see the preserved garden with Spring blossoms and a well-kept fountain in the center.
My gaze was drawn to a seemingly shy girl walking towards us, clutching her books and what appeared to be a mug against her chest.
She looked stunning in her Prada boots and had the slim body of a runway model. Her skin tone was lighter, but even with dark roots, she looked like a Barbie doll to me.
She shyly smiled down at Jade and me as she stood at our table, her heart-shaped lips and fair skin tone more visible.
The girl shuffled slowly, seeming sympathetic as she took the seat next to Jade. "Hey, sorry for taking so long, I had to stay back for an exam."
Jade chuckles. "Happy to have changed out of that class on the first day of classes. What instructor conducts a pop quiz during the first week of class? It's stupid. I swear, listening to Cooper talk about his parrots makes me more annoyed than the class itself." Before grinning at me, Jade pondered. "I wanted to introduce you to Ola. She's a transfer from Chicago."
"Hey, I love your name by the way. It suits you." The nice words leave my mouth before she can even open her mouth, instead, her cheeks redden and she smiles shyly at me.
"Thanks, you're too kind. I hope you had a good day so far," Skye said as she sets her stuff on the table. "How do you like it here in Whitehaven? Have you made friends yet?"
I showed her my social media accounts, where my following increased. She offers a proud smile. "You're already fitting in perfectly."
Jade prompts up, "For real. You should have seen her in class. She was even joking around with our teacher."
"How do you do that?" My eyebrows raise at Skye's question. "I mean I wish I was like you," she sighs. "I can't even talk to people without fumbling. It's embarrassing."
"Skye, you're just not comfortable with other people you aren't close to or you know personally. That's totally normal," Jade disagrees and I open my mouth to acquiesce.
"Jade is right. Sometimes it takes time for you to get comfortable with people," I tell her with a small smile playing on my lips as she slowly relaxes from my words. "It's not necessarily a bad thing to keep to yourself. I mean, you probably have good instincts with people and don't trust easily." Whereas I couldn't tell from fake friends.
"Exactly." Jade hums before softly squeezing Skye's tensed shoulders. "Thanks, girls. I appreciate the talk. But enough about me!" Skye shrugged. "The sports season starts this week, which means I'll be busy again," Skye explained, waving a flyer in our faces.
"Will you be running the program booth, again?" Jade asked.
I sipped my cold water, not particularly interested in sports or other extracurricular activities. That was never something I was particularly fond of at my previous school. In any case, we never won.
"Yup," Skye didn't sound too thrilled about it. "No one else wanted to do it, so I volunteered, again. I mean this is the third time I'm doing it because everyone from Leadership thinks they're better off sitting and watching the games."
"That sucks," Jade chimed, causing the latter to huff and slouch in her seat. "You tell me. I only offered to do it because Mr. Cooper promised to give me extra credit. Plus they're starting off with the boys Soccer team and I promised my boyfriend that I'd come and support them. I can't do that now."
Hearing Skye's last sentence made me want to do something. "I can help," I offered before I could think. Skye's face lightened at that. "Seriously?" Her eyes widened as she looks at me nodding. "I mean, are you sure? I wouldn't want to ruin your first game."
"She's right, Ola," Jade speaks up, taking a hairbrush out of her bag and brushing the ends of her styled hair. I remain rooted in my spot as she continues, "Running the program booth isn't fun at all, and you won't get to enjoy the game," she said before looking back at Skye. "No offense, Skye."
"It's fine. Trust me, I wouldn't do it even if someone paid me. It gets scorching hot and you have to stand for hours, trying to recruit a bunch of snobby people coming down from the Upper East Side."
"That doesn't sound like much fun," I agreed. "But, there is nothing I can't handle. Come on, I like people."
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Jade mumbles pressing her lips in a tight smile. Skye pushes Jade's elbow with a frown. "Stop scaring her!" She exclaims. Jade laughs causing her shoulders to shake. "Okay, okay, I'll stop. But I said what I said. You both can enjoy your little booth while I take my place at the front row with a box of Mike and Ike and extra large popcorn."
I pretend to be disgusted, uttering, "Gross. Mike and Ike should be banned forever. I don't know how people can swallow it. It tastes like straight-up soil and grass."
Skye snorts, her eyes turning into tiny slits. "Oh my God, what the fuck?" She says before Jade jumps in; "How do you know what grass and soil taste like? You've tasted it?"
"No, but it looks like it."
"You are something," she shakes her head and when I realize something, I immediately push out of my seat. "Shit, I gotta go," I mumbled under my breath as I gather my trash back on the plate.
Their brows furrow in unison as they watch me practically freak out. I shouldn't be, but knowing who's waiting for me in the library, gets me on my feet. "I have to meet with my tutor," I respond quickly, as I am not permitted to discuss this with anyone else, according to the Headmaster.
"Tutor? What tutor?" Jade asks.
"I'll explain later," I tell them, forcing a smile. "I'll see you guys around. Text me!"
Walking through the halls leading to the library, my steps were halted when a guy with a taller build suddenly stops me. At around five foot eight, he towered over me but not as much as Theo did. His hair faded into a clean cut and I admit, he was attractive.
I didn't like the way he was looking at me like I was an impeccably broiled and seasoned piece of meat.
"Do I know you?" I blurted out.
The guy scratches the back of his neck and holds on to the straps of his small backpack behind him. "No, that's why I came to introduce myself." He had a cocky smirk as he extended a hand to me.
Without a thought, I clasped it with my own but I should have known that this wasn't anything friendly when he pulls me closer to him. My body tenses, not sure if this was still a kind gesture or not. Maybe this was a way of greeting here in California I'd never heard of.
Letting go of his hand, I distanced myself and ignore the bad feeling in my stomach.
This is the first time I'm getting uneasy during an interaction. Usually, I would be the one making people uncomfortable or getting them out of their comfort zone. I guess it was a matter of time before I finally met someone who had the same energy as I did.
"Oh, okay, it's good to meet you. I'm—"
"Ola. I know," he says, finishing my sentence, and my brows furrow even more. "I've been keeping an eye on you," he said with a smile that should have raised a red flag, but being the person that I am, I believe I'm just being paranoid.
I don't want to assume the worst in people, especially since I barely know him. He doesn't appear to be able to harm a fly, based on his appearance. Yes, he was a little muscular, and judging by the jersey he was wearing, he must play sports. Maybe football? I could ask, but I didn't want to sway the conversation or give him ideas.
I could just be outright and tell him I'm not interested, but as I previously stated, I don't want to assume he's into me just because he said he's been "keeping an eye" on me. That could imply multiple things. It could simply mean that he is only curious about me.
When sees that I've been too quiet for too long he continues, "I'm Jay." He introduces himself, and I give him a small smile, my gaze darting behind him, catching a glimpse of the library doors. "Jay Harper," he concludes, awkwardly chuckling. "I apologize for this. I just had to stop and tell you how beautiful you are."
I can't help but smile when he says such nice things about me. Receiving compliments on my body is one thing, but being called beautiful is quite another.
"Seriously," he exaggerates. Jay does not seem to be a shy person, seeing how his eyes shamelessly study my body from head to toe, and normally I'd be flattered, but this time I don't know how to feel about it.
I wish it were Theo, though. But knowing how reserved he is around me, I shouldn't look forward to it. He could barely hold eye contact for more than five seconds. He truly humbles me majority of the time we are together, which isn't much given that we only see each other for a few hours every week.
Thinking about Theo makes me more impatient. I want to see him and stare at him until all I remember from our session is the image of his face etched in my mind. "Nice to meet you, Jay, but I really have to go."
"Would you mind giving me your phone number?" My gaze is drawn to his hands wrapped around my wrist, which he quickly releases once he realizes how surprised I am by his action.
Unconsciously, my teeth clamp down on my bottom lip, and I consider giving it for a second until a familiar voice from behind me interrupts.
"Ola?" Theo's deep voice fills the corridor, and I take a step back, only to collide with a hard chest made of solid muscles. My heart's erratic beating slows, and I'm joined by a warm presence that instantly relaxes my tense body.
"Is everything okay?" He takes a step forward, his body moving slowly to keep mine hidden behind him. I don't mind because I get a front-row seat to his back muscles and broad shoulders, which would make any man jealous. Stop sexualizing every little thing about him, Olaria. I scold myself, but I know it's pointless because Theo is the only man I'd let live in my head for free.
"Theo! What's up, dude? It's been a while, hasn't it?" Jay exclaims, his tone higher than when he was talking with me. However, Theo doesn't react as expected. Instead, he glares at him without a word, his veiny arm clasping the strap of his messenger bag. I can't help but stare down at it.
"Ouch. Already forgotten the moments we shared?" Jay says with a bitter tone. "Man, I was the best Goalkeeper our Soccer team ever had. At least show some respect."
It's silent for a moment until Theo lets out an amused scoff, barely audible but delightful to my ears. "Hm, sure. That's why you took a different path and tried out for the football team?"
Oh. I have no idea what they're talking about but based on Theo's changed tone, I knew he was getting under Jay's skin because Jay responds with;
"And you're still a bitter motherfucker," he spat and my ears perked up. Holy fuck. What is going on?
Whatever Jay has started must've had an impact on Theo because he doesn't say anything else and freezes on his spot. Taking this as my cue, my fingers uncontrollably encircle his arm as I'm forcing a smile on my face. Jay doesn't seem to stand down as he steps closer and gets eye-to-eye with Theo's towering height.
"What now, pretty boy? Still a pussy after all these years," Jay muttered. Seeing the way Theo doesn't falter even from his insulting words, I attempt to get Jay away from him, but to no avail.
"Uh, guys? I think we should all just get to class, yeah?" I said nervously, not wanting to be the target of anyone's anger. "It's a good time to learn." I was not looking forward to being punched in the face in case a fight broke out between the two.
"Exactly," Jay quips. "I don't understand why people get involved in other people's business when it has nothing to do with them."
"It is my business when I see someone with bad intentions," Theo scowled. His brows were still crumpled, and the hollow in his cheeks was much more visible.
"Bad intentions?" Jay laughs, unamused. "I was just asking for the girl's phone number, what's the harm in that?"
"Guys—"
"She was clearly uncomfortable," Theo observed. I'm not sure how much of it he saw to know how I was feeling.
"She was going t—"
Everything happens fast because the next thing I know, I'm being dragged away from the situation. "Theo- Wait," I called out behind him, allowing him to gently grab my hand in his. The heat radiating from my body is palpable, and I find myself daydreaming the entire journey to wherever he was taking me.
"But the library is that way-"
"Just shut your mouth for once, Ola."